Graphical user interface for use with open expert system

• US 20060106745A1
• Filed: 05/17/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Original Assignee: Becton, Dickinson & Co
• Inventors: Page, John Thuin, Michels, Raymond John, Davis, Glen Richard, Armstrong, Robert Edward
• Granted Patent: US 7,428,520 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data

Abstract

A rules system for creating rules to an expert system is provided, the rules system providing a user-friendly, guided process for creating such rules.

Claims

1. A rules system for use with an expert system, the rules system comprising:

a rule editor for creating, editing, or creating and editing at least one rule expression, where the rule expression comprises at least one condition or action input by a user;

a block manager for verifying the logic of the rule expression;

a rule manager for converting the rule expression into a rule interpretable by the expert system; and

a test scenario facility for executing the interpretable rule with sample data values,

wherein the interpretable rule is capable of being promoted to an enabled rule authorized to modify real data.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the interpretable rule is capable of being set to a test mode in which the interpretable rule is not authorized to modify real data.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface through which (a) the rule editor presents the display for creating, editing, or creating and editing the at least one rule expression, (b) the sample data is entered into a test scenario template and (c) the results of the executed interpretable rule are displayed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule expression comprises a plurality of conditions and actions, wherein the conditions pertain to real data features found in a database, and wherein the actions are performed when the conditions set in the rule expression are met.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the test scenario facility creates a template into which sample data values may be entered manually by the user or automatically by the rule editor from a clinical database.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the manually entered and automatically provided template sample data may be modified by the user for further evaluation of the rule expression.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the automatically-provided sample data is selected from the clinical database based on the conditions in the rule expression.

8. The system of claim 2, wherein the order of the interpretable rules may be modified.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the block manager comprises an indicator for indicating whether the at least one condition or action in a rule expression are verified.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the indicator indicates whether the at least one condition or action have passed or have failed the verification.

11. The expert system of claim 9, wherein the indicator is a text message, an audible alert, a visual indicator or any combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising a block editor for controlling the graphical presentation of the rule editor, wherein the block manager uses a block editor definition to define the proper combinations of conditions and actions for a logically correct rule expression.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the rule editor responds to conditions input by the user by providing only logical input choices for editing or creation of the rule expression.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the block editor definition further defines specifications for the output to the rule manager.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the system further comprises a processor and an input device;

the display responds to commands from the processor; and

the commands are based on user inputs from the input device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein:

the system further comprises a database;

the processor hosts the rule editor, the block manager, the rule manager, and the test scenario facility; and

the processor is adapted to access the database.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a processor, an input device, an output device, and a database.

18. A method for a user to create or edit a rule in a rules system, for use with an expert system, the method comprising the steps of:

inputting at least one condition or action to form a rule expression, where the rule expression is eventually converted by the rules system to a rule interpretable by the expert system;

selecting at least one additional condition or action from a set of one or more logical condition or action choices presented by the rules system, the selection contributing to the rule expression;

creating a test scenario for testing the conditions and actions of the rule by populating a test scenario template with sample data;

initiating execution of the test scenario; and

promoting the rule to an enabled rule, wherein the enabled rule is authorized to modify real data stored in a clinical database.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of repeating the inputting and selecting steps until the rules system presents a final choice for a logical condition or action for the rule expression.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one condition or action comprises a plurality of conditions and actions.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of setting the rule to a test rule, wherein the test rule is not authorized to modify real data.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the inputting and the repeating steps further comprise inputting the conditions and/or actions into a graphical user interface that uses an IF-THEN logical block format.

23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of setting the priority of a plurality of enabled rules.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of overwriting standard rules of the expert system.

25. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions arranged for performing a method for creating and editing rules for an expert system comprising the steps of:

accepting input of data that represents at least one condition or action for a rule;

presenting to a user a set of one or more logical condition or action choices in response to the data input;

accepting the user'"'"'s selection of a condition or action from the presented logical condition or action choices;

repeating the steps of accepting input, presenting, and accepting the user'"'"'s selection;

verifying that the rule is logically correct;

converting the rule into a rule interpretable by the expert system;

creating a test scenario for the conditions and actions selected by the user for the rule, wherein a test scenario template is capable of being filled with sample data by the user;

presenting the user with the results of the test scenario; and

allowing promotion of the rule to an enabled rule authorized to modify real data stored in a clinical database.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one action or condition comprises a plurality of conditions and actions.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising the step of allowing the rule to be set to a test mode, wherein the rule is not authorized to modify real data.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the inputting and the repeating steps further comprise inputting the data into a graphical user interface that uses an IF-THEN logical block format.